Bolton were handed defeat at the hands of Stockport in the FA Cup and boss Ian Evatt believes one reason the side may have struggled to get on top in the game was because of having no MJ Williams to turn to, telling The Bolton News that they 'missed him dearly.'
The side may be battling in the top half of the League One table after promotion from the fourth tier and they may have strolled to wins over Rochdale and Crewe in recent weeks but, against Stockport, they weren't quite at the races.
Despite taking a 3-1 lead into the half-time break, their opponents battled back to take Wanderers into extra time at 3-3 before firing two more past the third tier outfit to seal the win.
Now, boss Ian Evatt has spoken out about the defeat to The Bolton News and believes one reason the side may have struggled to get on top in the fixture was down to the absence of MJ Williams.
He said: "Sometimes MJ’s type of player isn’t the most appreciated by supporters. Not that we it to happen in any way, shape or form but that [result] highlights what MJ brings to this team and the squad of players.
“We missed him dearly, there’s no two ways about it. We haven’t got another MJ, we haven’t got another Gethin Jones either, or another Eoin Doyle."
MJ Williams has featured in 17 games so far for Bolton this season and has managed two assists from the centre of the field. The player himself offers a lot more though in terms of his ability to break up the play, start his team off on attacks and help dictate the tempo from the middle of the pitch.
He featured in the club's 2-2 draw against Stockport at the beginning of November but was unable to feature in the replay, as his side suffered defeat.
Williams then is a key player for Bolton to have - and they'll hope to have him back in the reckoning again soon.
The Verdict
MJ Williams is a tough-tackling and solid midfielder and his absence was certainly felt against Stockport. Although the side burst into a 3-1 lead, they couldn't hold onto it and a player like Williams may certainly have helped them do so.
It shows how key he has become of the League One outfit. Him sitting on the sidelines is a blow then but he should hopefully be back in the reckoning for Ian Evatt again in the near future.